Child Porn Investigation May Involve Hundreds, WTNH, November 28, 2007

Child Porn Investigation May Involve Hundreds

WTNH
November 28, 2007

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=7419466&nav=menu29_2

West Hartford — Police are looking for help from the public in a child pornography investigation that has spanned decades and may involve hundreds of children.

Photo by West Hartford police

From the outside, it looks pretty much like all the other houses on Griswold Drive in West Hartford. The inside looked pretty much the same too, until the new owner started renovating it.

"He was remodeling his basement and as he was removing paneling in the basement, he found a hidden compartment," Lt. Donald Melanson, West Hartford Police Department said.

In that hidden compartment were boxes and boxes full of images of child pornography.

"Our estimate is about 50,000 35 mm slides and over a hundred 8mm reel to reel videos," Lt. Melanson said.

The house used to belong to Dr. George Reardon. He was an endocrinologist specializing in childhood sexual development. He lost his medical license in 1995 because a series of former patients came forward to say Reardon molested and photographed them when they were children and teenagers. Some allegations dated back to the 1960s, and most likely so do the slides and films.

"I just think it's awful," neighbor Amy Barr-Saxena said. "I feel terrible for the kids, and it's amazing - to be uncovered after so much time. It's got to be devastating for all those families."

Dr. George Reardon

The evidence found in the house may actually help some victims, victims who no one believed years ago.

"Already we've had victims call and say that they want to come forward, that they want some resolution, that they weren't believed when they came forward in the past and now this is vindication for them that yes, it did happen," Lt. Melanson said.

Even though Reardon died years ago, he might have shared his 'collection' with other pedophiles. That's why police now want Reardon's victims to come forward.

"Many laws in many states throughout the nation require a known child victim in order to prosecute," Lt. Melanson said. "That's why getting the victims on these photos is important so we can pass this information along to the (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)."

Anyone who thinks they have information, or who may be one of the victims, can contact West Hartford Detectives at (860) 523-2070.